• Review For Us
    • In London or across the UK
    • at Edinburgh Fringe
  • List Your Show
  • Advertising
  • Musicals
  • Plays
  • Ballet & Dance
  • Previews
  • First Look
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews

Review: Fox at The Old Red Lion Theatre

by Greg Stewart
September 30, 2017
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Fox Review Old Red Lion

Fox Review Old Red Lion

Making his debut at The Old Red Lion, Harrison Rose, brings us Fox, a play about a couple who are clearly not right for each other but try to make it work nonetheless.  Directed by Rupert Hands, it looks to examine love and dating in modern times.

The central characters, Stefan and Rachel, see their relationship disintegrate in front of them, as Rachels drinking spirals out of control, and she becomes even more obnoxious than she was to begin with.  It jumps around the timeline, giving us a glimpse of the chaos to come before slowly revealing the steps that were taken to get us there.

       

As Stefan, Rhys Whomsley really grasps his characters motivations, he understands the slightly shy and awkward young man who wishes he could be stronger, only to find that strength in the latter portions of the play.  Amanda Vilanova equally, gives Rachel the boldness and venom for us to realise this is a damaged young woman with issues from her past.

Direction from Rupert Hands keeps it moving at a good pace, and it is laid out in a visually appealing manner.  The staging feels impressively modern; it opens with the two characters facing each other while a selection of props surrounds them, each prop is outlined in LED lights which switch on and off at various points.  A square shape is formed of similar lights and this is where the main action takes place.

You mightalso like

Vikash Bhai Headshot by Michael Shelford (1)

Interview: Vikash Bhai on The Foreigners’ Panto

Cast of the Foreigner's Panto

Full Cast Announced for BOLD Theatre’s The Foreigners’ Panto

Often the characters will break the fourth wall, speaking into a microphone hanging from the ceiling, or the disembodied voices of unseen characters; such as neighbour Cathy or therapist Bill, provide additional plot lines.  All of this helps add depth to the story while providing different perspectives.  Dan Bottomley’s sound design brings us nice rock interludes, including some classic Fall Out Boy, as well as the screeching foxes, from where the play takes its title.

The breakdown of a relationship is fairly common fodder for a two hander, portraying it out of chronological order is nothing new either.  In general, I find these kinds of story arcs pretty boring, for some reason watching a strange couple argue, especially when you know it’s scripted, doesn’t hold a lot of appeal.

Fox is a little different though, while it employs this familiar structure, it does manage to give enough depth to the characters to get you invested.  The scenes may be short, but they are punchy and laden with enlightening snippets that expose a different side to modern dating.  While Fox may not be entirely unique, it’s an enjoyable play which manages to give the characters plenty of opportunity to be scrutinised.

Photos: Lidia Crisafulli

       
Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart

Greg is an award-winning writer with a huge passion for theatre. He has appeared on stage, as well as having directed several plays in his native Scotland. Greg is the founder and editor of Theatre Weekly

Related Articles

Vikash Bhai Headshot by Michael Shelford (1)
Interviews

Interview: Vikash Bhai on The Foreigners’ Panto

Cast of the Foreigner's Panto
News

Full Cast Announced for BOLD Theatre’s The Foreigners’ Panto

Fox Courtesy of the company
News

Shining light on the highs and lows of new motherhood, FOX heads on Spring tour for 2023

Never Lost at Home Photo Credit Mike Kwasniak
First Look

First Look: Never Lost at Home at New Wolsey Theatre

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram

At Theatre Weekly we give theatre a new audience. You'll find our theatre news, theatre reviews and theatre interviews are written from an audience point of view. Our great value London theatre tickets will get you the best deal for your theatre tickets.
Theatre Weekly, 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
  • Join Our Community
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising

Recent News

Reading Rep Season image supplied by publicist

Reading Rep Theatre Unveils Ambitious 2025/26 Season Featuring First Musical and Major Revivals

Daniel Abelson in Praise of Love rehearsals credit Ellie Kurttz

Interview: Daniel Abelson on In Praise of Love at the Orange Tree Theatre

© 2022 Theatre Weekly

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • Digital Theatre
  • News
    • News
    • West End
    • Off West End
    • Regional & Tours
    • Digital
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer

© 2022 Theatre Weekly